1. ENLIGHTENING THE GRAY – 2014 AND BEYOND
Thoughts, Scenario Clarity, Dynamism ‐ Way Forward
By: Mohammad Nader Yama
Director for Strategic Coordination
Independent Directorate of Local Governance ‐ IDLG, and
Member of Afghan Young Leaders Initiative ‐ AYLI
Dear All,
The process for a better future; to address challenges of 2014 political transition, as well as economic
transition post 2014 both are being perceived very much concerning and gray. Both scenarios need to
be enlightened, there are clarities that have not been communicated widely, concerns that can be
addressed, as well as the hope and vision to be institutionalized. We cannot expect much from the
current political leaders and technocrats. This is the mission that the new generation of leaders and
technocrats has to carry on.
The new generation of leaders and technocrats are the only hope, force and enablers to build a strong
state and lead Afghanistan to a direction for a sustainable economic growth. This is the generation that
with patience, persistence, and positive perspective can build regional trust and integrity, and these are
the leaders that can give the people of Afghanistan and the neighbors a hope that living in peace,
shaping economic integrity and building a strong One‐Asia is possible.
It starts with a vision, but requires enormous efforts. This is what the young leaders and technocrats are
striving for but their efforts are happening on ad‐hoc basis, scattered, lacking connected results and not
adequately outreached. To achieve broadly requires further courage, holistic efforts, nationwide
networking, practical steps and follow‐up.
There are great opportunities that would help us to build clarity, produce results and set the basis for a
better future. The commitments both by the International Community (IC) and the Afghan Government
(GIRoA) in the International Conferences such as Bonn, Chicago and Tokyo, and Afghanistan’s long‐term
Strategic Partnership with neighboring countries (China, Pakistan, India…) and countries of far
continents in particular with US, UK and EU, convey unmistakable messages that Afghanistan will not be
left alone, but will be helped to find its way for a better future. While such commitments and messages
requires institutionalization, all being it IC, GIRoA, Civil Society and Youth Associations and the people of
Afghanistan should work together, debate bluntly, accept failures, build consensus, and eventually
clarify the way‐forward.
The way‐forward is not all about big chunk of resources, it is about right approaches, practices and
sustainable solutions. I do remember that having me serving in UN and NGOs during the Taliban Regime,
we had very and very less resources providing a block grant of $9,900 to community forum and used to

2. achieve results that cannot be possible by a million dollar currently. Flood of resources imbalanced with
weak capacity and lack of systems of check and balances fueled corruption. I do not want to stick too
much on the past, our achievements failures, but rather I want to focus more of how to shape way‐
forward; address challenges and determine the right path for a better future.
Having me knowing really what the right path for a better future is and how to get there, I would be
genius. What I, given my perspective and experience, would like to propose are steps framed in a set of
objectives, make clarification of issues, and proposing practical approaches and values that I assume
would help us a bit finding the right path to move forward:
Objectives:
1. Address the current concerns and darkness being perceived by Afghan people post 2014
2. Clarify the current scenario which is being perceived both as a challenge and as an opportunity
for better future
3. Push key reforms critical to the success of both; political transition in 2014 and economic
transition post 2014
4. Creating hope by introduction of the new generation of leaders and technocrats that is capable,
committed and strong force to build the country.
The new Afghan generation and technocrats are the only hope that would fill the gap for
decrease in aid, ensure value for many, fight corruption, improve government performance and
ensure human rights. We need to create a hope and vision that Afghanistan will catch up with
the rest of the world and eventually be put on right path to Transition to New Generation and
with a shift from being victim of Terrorism to champion of Tourism and Trade.
Practical Solutions – Young Leaders and Technocrats:
It was never ever being felt so much important and needed as it is now. We have an enormous
opportunity of having the future leaders and technocrats emerging across the public, privet sectors as
well as civil society. But these future leaders and technocrats, who born in the conflict, grown in it, used
to be contributing to the well‐being of their people during the decades of turmoil ‐ now are the catalyst
for change and, at the technical level, do run the show across these sectors. These leaders and
technocrats are disappointed of both the current politicians and are confused of International
Community unclear strategies.
As the cause ‐ there is a growing concern ‐ those working in government are leaving the government,
larger number of them leaving the country. I am not afraid of having IC leaving, but I am afraid of
having these future leaders and technocrats become disappointed, losing their faith and momentum
and eventually remained with only options either to leave the country, or stay and turn to be
pessimistic, and be victim of further internal conflicts.
Institutionalizing of long‐term commitments and vision is what matters most. Development is about
hope, and if you take this hope out, even the most talented and committed people would not stay and
strive to build the society but to escape from it.

3. Building such a great potential is the result of our then years efforts, and wasn’t easy. To sustain what
we have achieved in ten years and take democracy to the next stage, seems very much difficult, but is
not impossible. We need to be very much initiative in retaining and utilizing the potential of this force,
to address the darkness of the current scenario, clarify way‐forward and create a hope that better
future for Afghanistan is possible – An Afghanistan that is in peace with itself and its neighbors, reviving
regional trust and integrity, and be the key contributor to the Asia and global security and prosperity.
To achieve the above stated objectives would require dynamism, commitment for reform, and sincere
efforts that can be achieved through the following recommended approaches, thematic areas reforms,
backed by values, enablers and principles:
Dynamic Teams: create/form a dynamic team across sectors to be the catalyst to fight corruption, push
needed reforms and improve performance of the government. In case of Public Sector, the members of
the dynamic teams are the technocrats and leaders those are running the show, professionals, with
long‐term vision and commitment and are being the catalyst for change. Such dynamic teams can be
expanded across other sectors and geographically and once connected can turn to be the key layers of
foundation for a strong state and sustainable economic growth in the country.
GIRoA Upstream Structure: Entities within the Upstream Structure of the Government requires reform
and capacity, systematically linked, and have an effective practice of coordination, policy management
and decision making. Critical entities are OAA, NSS, MoF, IDLG, CSC, and others. In the past 10 years,
capacity and institutional reforms were single ministry focused, not targeting the inter‐ministerial or
cross‐sectoral reforms and institutions building. To ensure effectiveness and sustainability, linkages of
individual reform‐support programs to be determined and its contribution to the broader reforms
ensured.
GIRoA Downstream Structure: In order to make the public sector more legitimate, accountable and
responsive ‐ public sector should be brought closer to the people. Sectoral ministries should know that
there is no any other option to improve their performance and be able to spend their budget effectively,
unless they build the understanding that centrally they just need to provide policy guidance, technical
support and resources, and delegate authority to the local entities and let their divisions at the local
level to lead delivery of services.
GIRoA Parallel Structures: The government structure, given the availability of unlimited resources, and
lack of capacity and principles of sustainability in the past, we have got the Government Structure blown
up. An entity was lacking capacity and not performing well, rather than building its capacity and
institutions, we have created a new entity, mechanisms or processes, that caused conflicts and
sustainability yet under question. Therefore, with decrease in aid, ensuring of sustainability and shift to
functional based approaches, we need to dismantle gradually the entities of parallel structures, parallel
mechanisms and processes. Transferring of a function to the right entity should be happening, and let
that particular ministry to practice ownership and leadership. GIRoA simply cannot sustain such a blew‐
up structure and reforms cannot be pushed in an environment of conflicting roles and functions. It

4. should be one of the key reshuffling tasks of the new administration ‐ having a structure that is based on
the need, with clear role and function and sustainable.
Coordination and Planning Process: the planning process in the country should be formalized. GIRoA
has to make decision on how its planning process should be ‐ top‐down, button‐up or the practical
option which is mixture of both. Formation of High Economic Commission is the right decision and
should assume this responsibility for a unified policy, planning and coordination practices with clear
role, effective structure and filled with visionary, professional and committed technocrats.
IC Effective Coordination: the current mechanisms and entities coordinating the IC entities need more
work and efforts to build consensus among the IC, be more proactive, limit meetings but make the
agendas more effective, with strong follow‐up and ensure results.
IC Technical Assistance: within the scenario of decrease in aid, ensure of sustainability, and enable the
practice of leadership and ownership, the IC should strive very and very hard to provide the right TA in
adherence to the GIRoA Aid Management Policy. Provision of Technical Advisors should posses long‐
term development experience and vision. They should possess well understanding of Afghanistan’s
complexities, looking to their contribution to a process not a program‐focused support reform, and
preference should be given to Afghan Diaspora. But what would ensure results is the clear results
delivery assured systems and follow‐up practices.
Youth networking: the youth network recently established requires a lot of support and youth joint
programs not only within the country, but also gradually shift of efforts beyond borders to target
regional integrity objectives. The GIRoA and IC support of youths should be synchronized, duplication,
overlap and practices that overshadows other programs results should be avoided. Youth efforts should
be systemic, inclusive and supported by a nationwide networking.
Vibrant, Systemic, and Responsive Civil Society: Building of civil society and media was one of the key
achievements of the past ten years, but it is not really indigenous, systemic and inclusive. With decrease
in aid, this sector will be affected, which is also an opportunity to revive further culture of volunteerism,
sense of responsibility and citizenship. Support should be provided to create a systemic practice of
advocacy (centre linked with provinces) with regular and positive interaction with GIRoA‐ filling the gap
for GIRoA inability rather than being negative‐blamer. Cross‐border youth and civil society efforts can be
a complementary to the diplomatic efforts of building trust and integrity with neighboring and step‐
further countries in the region.
Transition – Transformation Perception: perception of Transition and Transformation needs
clarification; Transition is not a single process, it leads us to transformation process, it is not an end
game but is a starting step to practice leadership and ownership, it is not a radical change but is a
process that targets functions and institutions building that takes time, last but not least it is a process
that should create and institutionalize a vision that would lead Afghanistan to transition to new
generation, and a transition from Terrorism to Tourism and Trade. Therefore the process, while is
calendar and condition based, should focus on pushing for key reforms that would lay the foundation for
a successful transformation, not pushing and trying to do everything, which is not only possible, if so

5. would be ineffective and unsustainable. Transition has to be clarified to all across all sectors and levels,
for us in IDLG transition is how to transition IDLG. For a stability support program, transition should be a
building a link between their quick‐fix thing approaches to long‐term stability perspective. It should be
the government having the face of service delivery, not a contractor or community development
structure, if so, it should be a part not an effort by‐passing the government. The decision for a weak
district governor was to change the governor, whereas the focus should have been improving
performance ‐ capacity and leadership is ensured by continues practice – leaders are built not produced.
In the past, big ideas were pushed, everybody used to run, and quick‐fix solutions were focused. The
time for big‐idea is over, we need to make the current once work and build on them.
Principles and Enablers: In order to deliver our intended results and sustain our efforts, there are some
principles and enablers that need to be adhered. Enablers; do not create new mechanism, and
processes but try to focus on how to make the current once work better, unify reform practices; as an
example push for a single planning and fiscal decentralization reform and practice, focus on an
investment in a particular sector that would have high return, try to shift from a programmatic approach
of providing support to more of a functional support, lastly improve communication – communicate
even the failures, and do not hid them. People would give credits if we be honest, clear of our limits, this
would trigger the community support and mobilization filling the gap and complement the efforts.
Principles; we need to clarify and localize in our practices what sustainability, ownership and leadership,
capacity building and eventually delivery would mean and be possible by us.
Three Scenarios (Keep Momentum, Transition Process and decrease in Aid): while continue moving
forward with current efforts, beer in mind that we would be performing in a different scenario; while
maintaining the momentum, we are performing in a Transition period – where sustainability, ownership
and leadership matters – and we have to understand that there is not flood of resources in hand that
one concept did not work you can have the next, we will have not enough resources and time is not on
our side either. We have achieved enormously during 10 years but we have also lost enormous
opportunities. Therefore focus on the enabling priorities – prioritizing list of our priorities, design a
practical approach and ensure follow‐up and communication in the process.
Continued Debate and Consensus Building: the way‐forward would require a lot of understanding to be
built, in particular, while pushing for reforms such as administrative deconcentration, which is basically
bringing decision making closer to the beneficiaries. I do strongly support broad debates, conferences,
workshops, seminars, where well known practitioners are invited, and further assessments and
researches to be launched – great to know that there some good series of assessments are currently
happening supported jointly by the GIRoA and IC.
Values: last but not least, the proposed objectives and above recommendations will be possible to
achieve if there is sincere commitment, trust among all parties, and having sense of responsibility,
positive thinking and strong believe what is being envisioned is possible ‐ that is what would drive us to
deliver results an make the change for a prosperous Afghanistan happening.
Way‐Forward:

6. We all know that talking about the future is really complicated and would need more debate and
inclusive and continues writing. The aspects I have been trying to lay down above is only a small part of
the broader scenario that we can only clarify and determine through more of frequent, continues joint
efforts; writing, discussing and practically exploring them.
To move forward, I will be trying to start my series of writings to clarify the big scenario – each of the
above recommendations requires further illustration. I will start with developing a concept of what I
mean by dynamism and dynamic teams within all sectors starting with the public sector. As I mentioned,
it is not a single person’s effort, but would require a holistic effort and support, therefore I invite you all
to join and contribute. Your experience and understanding of the issues is of critically importance, share
it. Let’s put our thoughts and efforts together so that we ship the understanding of current challenges,
develop practical solutions and push to make them happening.
You can reach me at; Email: nader.yama@gmail.com , Mobile: 0700 101 045.
Author Note:
Mohammad Nader Yama served the people of Afghanistan for the last 15 years in a number of different
ca pacities with the United Nations, Afghanistan National Development Strategy, the Human Rights
Commission and for the past three years working with the Independent Directorate for Local Governance
(IDLG) as Director for Strategic Coordination.
In his latter role he has worked in operations, program management and coordination, policy analysis,
strategic planning and leadership. Most recently he managed the effort of drafting the National Priority
Programme for Local Governance and has led on managing the extensive IDLG Program Portfolio for
effective coordination, implementation, and M&E of the Priority Programs.
He has extensively also contributed to support transition issues, contributing to civ‐mil integrated
approach, support Peace and Reintegration process. Beyond his efforts with government, he is member
of the Afghan Young Leaders Initiative mandated to build a strong state, and ensure a peaceful,
democratic and economically developed Afghanistan.